Electrolyzer.



E. HIXON.

ELEGTROLYZER.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.25,1909.

Patehted July 13, 1909.

2 8HEETB-SHEET 1,

INVENTOI? Edward/ 12x020 A TTOR/VEYS E. HIXON'.

ELEGTROLYZER.

APPLICATION PILEb FEB. 25,1909.

Patented July 13, 1909.

2 SHEETH-SHEET Mm w n w d n 1%, r B m WIT M58858 The invention consists in the" details EDWARD HIXON, QF OHIGAGO, ILLINOIS ELEGTROLYZEB.

Specification of-Letters Patent.

- Patented July 13,1909.

Application men February as; 1909. serial No. 479,906}

To altwhomtt may concern: I Belt known that I, Enwiini) HIXON a citi zen'of the United States, 'and a resident of Chicago, in the eoilnt'yof Cook and State of Illino s, have 1 invented. a new and Irn- 7,

proved Electrolyzer, of which; the followin; is a full, clear, and exact description.

This inventionrelatesto certain irnprote ments in electrolyzing apparatus, and more particularly -to anapparatus, for efiecting the solutionof" a chemical and the "electric; decomposing of the resulting electrolyte;

v, The special apparatus illustrated is particul'arly, designed foriuse in the manufacture ofableaching liquid, although it'is, of course, evident that it might be used for other purposes; I

r r construction and combination of'parts hereinafter described and particularly, pointed out in claims.

Reference is to ing drawings, forming a art ofthis specification, in which similar ciaracters of reference:indieate;corresponding parts inall the. figures, and n whichj irons 21 extending outwardly substantially '.Figure 1 isa top plan view of an-ap paratus constructed in accordance with my invent on; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2 -2 of' Fig; 1 Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the electro-, lyzing apparatus" proper, said section being taken on the line 3 --3, of Figfl; Fig. 4; is r a top plan View of the electrolyzing ap paratus proper and Fighfi is a transverse section "on the l nen- 5 of Fig. 4.

In my improved electrolyzer, I three separatecontaine'rs or receptacles I0, 11- and b2, all mounted on the same standard and so arranged that the liquid may flow from one to another tllIOllglllLllG series. My

improved standard includes four corner posts, 13, each preferably formed of an angle iron and connected together by transverselyextending angleirons 14 intermediate the to "and bottom of t e frame, and lo'ngitudig na ly-extending angle irons 15 atflthe upper end of the fraine." :The tank or receptacle 12, which is the lowest of the series, extends longitudinally ofithe frame and is supported directly upon the angleirons 14.

Directly above the tank 12' and also sup ported within the frame is the tankl0,herev tank, This tank is substantially semi-cylin rical in form and is supported-by transversely ex be-had to the accompanyadjacent are connected tothe outer end oftlns auxilemploy I tending curved bands 16, the upper ends of which are connected tothe longitudinally-extending angle irons 15.. The 1nixing tank 10 is preferably formed of metal and within the tank and extending longitudinally thereof is an agitator 17 for thoroughly mixing the material to be dissolved withthe solvent.

H The agitator preferably has a plurality of substantially parallel blades or wings 'l8 rotatable about a central shaft, and one end ofrthisshaft extends to the oxterior'of the tank and is providedwith a pulley 19 for rotating the same, Theshaft and agitator are parallel to the bottom of the tank, and -7 theshaftis so disposed that the blades come closely adjacent the lowermost portion of the tank. as they move about their axes, The

' mixing tank lOsis preferably open at thetop and. at one end it may have a gageglassfll) 5 connected to the topand bottom of the tank for clearly indicating "the quantity ofliquid within the tank.

At one end 0' the main tank is a support or bracket-cons ituting an auxiliary frame and formed bf horizontallydisposed angle parallel from two of the corner posts and connected together transversely-extending an'gle irons 22, one'adjacent the outer ends of the-angle irons 21' and the other closely the two end posts. Angle irons 23 iary frame and extend downwardly diagonally to the lower portion'of the two corner posts, so as to serve as a'bracket or support for the platform formed by the angle irons 2i and'22. Mounted uponnthis platform and held against lateral movement bythe angle irons 22, is the eleotrolyzing tank 11; A draw ofi' pipe 2 f leads from one endof the mixing tank 10," adjacent the bottom thereof, to one end of the eleetrolyzing-tank l1, and a draw-off pipe 25 leads from the'opposite end of the electrolyzing tanktothe liquor tank 12. The el'eotrolyzing tank is provided with a series of vertically-disposed cleats or' ridges 26 upon oppositesides, which form between them a ser es .otvertica], grooves or channels, The interiorof the electrolyzing tank is subdivided by a: plurality of substantia'lly parallel vertical partitions 27-, the ends of which are disposed between adjacent cleatsor ridges 26. The partitions are ver:

tioally removable from the casing, and each 110 preferablyformed ofgraphite or other T suitable material whichwill' be unaffected by the action of the chemicals employed ora'n electric current. Each alternate PELItliLIOIlJS cut away at one lower corner to form an opening or passage 28, and the remaining partitions are cut away at the upper opposite corner to form passages '29. The liquid which enters, at one end of the electrolyzing tank must thus flow through a passage 28 at the lower corner of one'part'ition andthence not only upwardly but also transversely to the diagonally opposite corner'of the next partition, to pass through an opening 29. The liquid thus travels in a'zigzag course not only transversely but also vertically in. the electrolyzing tank 11, from the inlet conduit 24 to the, outlet conduit 25'. The partitions which subdivide the tank into a conduit may be made of graphite, and said partitions are preferably formed of-a plurality of slats or bars 30, each extending transversely of the tank, and all of the bars of one partition being in vertical alinement. Atop-bar 31 of glass may be employed upon each alternate partition, that is, the ones having the lower openings 28, to preclude the possibility of anyof the liquid traveling over the top of these partitions. At the ends of the electrolyzing tank, -I-insert two electrodes, each formed of a plurality of vertically-disposed slats or bars 8 2 of carbon, connected together across-the top by a connecting piece 33. This connecting piece is above the level of the tank, and is preferably of metal and carries a binding post 34:, to which a wire from a suitable source of electrical energy is connected In the operation of'niy improved apparatus, com1non salt, that is, chlorid of sodium,

is placed in the dissolving or mixing tank 10, together with a sufiieient quantity of water, and the agitator is started in operation to facilitate the solution of the salt in the water. VVhen the solution of; the desired strength has been obtained, the liquid is pernntted to slowly escape through the conduit 24 to one end of the electrolyzing tank,

and thence longitudinally of the tank to the outlet therefrom. ires from a suitable source of electrieal'energy are connected to the two electrodes at opposite ends of the tank 11, and a current is caused to How from one electrode to the other through the liquid in the direction of flow. The solution and the current travel in the same direction through the open spaces between the plates, and the rate of flow and the strength of current is so regulated that the solution has. the proper qualities at the time it reaches ,end and the remainder of said the outlet conduit 25. The salt is first decomposed to separate the sodium and chlo-v rin, which collect at the opposite electrodes. The sodium set free from combination with the chlorin, combines with the oxygen and partof thehydro'gen, and becomes converted into sodium-hydroxid or caustic soda: This results from a partial decomposition of the water, and hydrogen gas escapes at the electrode. The chlorin liberated at the opposite electrode will combine with a portion of the caustic soda in solution, to form a hypochlorid, which in turn will be converted into a chlorin of sodium.

Various other chemical reactions take place, the exact nature of which it is difiicult to accurately determine. The solution which escapes at the outlet conduit 25 and, collects in the tank 12, is the proper solution desired for use as a bleaching liquid. The tanks 11 and 12 are formed of material which will be unaffected by electric current or by the various compounds produced; porcelain has been found very suitable for the purpose.

Having thus described 1ny-invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters rality of vertically-disposed transverse par titions removably mounted therein, certain of said partitions having openings therethrough at the bottom thereof adjacent one artitions having openings therethrou'gh ad acent the top at the opposite end, and electrodes within said tank adjacent op osite ends.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD HIXON.

Witnesses:

N. C. WHITE, E. D. NEAL. 

